Andre Norton

[Vince W]

It saddens me no end to go into a shop and not see rows of the great names of science fiction I grew up with. Norton, McCaffery, Le Guin, Anderson, Sturgeon, Smith (both E.E. and Cordwainer), van Vogt, Harrison, Laumer, Aldiss, Bester... Even Asimov seems to be reduced to Foundation and Heinlein to Starship Troopers. If it weren't for the HBO version of Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury would be nonexistent.

Fantasy is pure escapism and easily digested, so I can understand why people are reading more of it these days.

 

[BAYLOR]

It saddens me no end to go into a shop and not see rows of the great names of science fiction I grew up with. Norton, McCaffery, Le Guin, Anderson, Sturgeon, Smith (both E.E. and Cordwainer), van Vogt, Harrison, Laumer, Aldiss, Bester... Even Asimov seems to be reduced to Foundation and Heinlein to Starship Troopers. If it weren't for the HBO version of Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury would be nonexistent.

Fantasy is pure escapism and easily digested, so I can understand why people are reading more of it these days.

That's why you have to help keep their memories alive .

 

[Vince W]

That's why you have to help keep their memories alive .

How do we get younger readers interested in these authors? That's a big question.

 

[BAYLOR]

How do we get younger readers interested in these authors? That's a big question.

By simply talking to them about these writers . You'd be surprised at how easily it can be to spark their interest.

 

[Parson]

@BAYLOR ... True, but I also think we should realize that the people like me who read those long ago were the Geeks of our age. A young Parson today would likely be a gamer and not read much at all.

 

[clovis-man]

My grandson (8th grade) has been reading the Winston SF books for young readers that I have given to him. Admittedly just for kids in the fifties, but he seems to like them.

 

[Vince W]

My grandson (8th grade) has been reading the Winston SF books for young readers that I have given to him. Admittedly just for kids in the fifties, but he seems to like them.

 

[Happy Joe]

I was re-inventorying Baen's offerings of e-books and noted (for those that are having trouble finding copies of Andre Norton's books) that they still sell reprints and compilations of many of her novels.
....also;
Time Traders and Galactic Derelict are stilled offered for free, in a combined, updated, e-book, to anyone that wants it.
Time Traders by Andre Norton - WebScription Ebook

Enjoy!

 

[Parson]

Snagged. Thanks Happy Joe!

 

[Al Jackson]

It saddens me no end to go into a shop and not see rows of the great names of science fiction I grew up with. Norton, McCaffery, Le Guin, Anderson, Sturgeon, Smith (both E.E. and Cordwainer), van Vogt, Harrison, Laumer, Aldiss, Bester... Even Asimov seems to be reduced to Foundation and Heinlein to Starship Troopers. If it weren't for the HBO version of Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury would be nonexistent.

Fantasy is pure escapism and easily digested, so I can understand why people are reading more of it these days.

I keep hoping that Cordwainer Smith will be re-discovered like Phil Dick was. By that I mean Cordwainer Smith's works are out-of-the-ordinary science fiction like Phil Dick tho in a different way altogether. Hoped some maker of visual drama movie or TV would do a sophisticated (done right!) stories of the Instrumentality, sort of like Blade Runner (1982). Tho in that movie parts of other Dick works were used instead of the novel. Actually a lot of 1950's 'Cyberpunk' SF infused that film.

Jams Blish's Cities in Flight would make a cracking good series on HBO. Blish pulled out all the stops and pushed all the button for the Okie series , there is no other space opera like it. Blish's works are particularly worth finding.

 

[anno]

Interesting comments re missing authors in book shops,even charity shops struggle to fix this one.
Another worrying trend personally for me has been the absorbing of horror into the sci fi / fantasy sections, King being the only real appearance...

 

[Al Jackson]

Interesting comments re missing authors in book shops,even charity shops struggle to fix this one.
Another worrying trend personally for me has been the absorbing of horror into the sci fi / fantasy sections, King being the only real appearance...

I may have said this elsewhere, my local Barnes and Noble used to keep the science fiction and fantasy separate, until about 5 years ago and they just kind of gave up an started to mix them together. At this late date I just worry if B&N stays in business!

 

[Al Jackson]

My grandson (8th grade) has been reading the Winston SF books for young readers that I have given to him. Admittedly just for kids in the fifties, but he seems to like them.

I read those in the 1950s, some interesting ones in there , Chad Oliver, Clarke, del Ray, Anderson, they even got Jack Vance to write one, but even as a 15 and 16 year old I found them more miss than hit. It may be because I cut my teeth on the Heinlein young adult novels, which are of no comparison. My go to back up for Heinlein was Andre Norton, I thought her work was better than all but the best of the Winston collection. I should note that in those years I was reading more 'adult' SF , I especially liked Galaxy Magazine.

 

[Parson]

I may have said this elsewhere, my local Barnes and Noble used to keep the science fiction and fantasy separate, until about 5 years ago and they just kind of gave up an started to mix them together. At this late date I just worry if B&N stays in business!

Count your blessings. At least you had them separated for a while. The two nearest Barnes and Nobles (and I believe every other one I've been in) had SF and Fantasy mixed for the last 30? years.

But I do think that Barnes and Nobles and every other major book dealer are on hard times as they try to find their niche with Amazon eating their lunch.

 

[Al Jackson]

Count your blessings. At least you had them separated for a while. The two nearest Barnes and Nobles (and I believe every other one I've been in) had SF and Fantasy mixed for the last 30? years.

But I do think that Barnes and Nobles and every other major book dealer are on hard times as they try to find their niche with Amazon eating their lunch.

Funny thing I have heard that Amazon was building some brick and mortar book stores?

 

[Parson]

I have also heard that rumor, but cannot confirm that it has gotten beyond the "talking" stage.

 

[anno]

Brief update (and conscious that I highjacked the Norton Thread) the Guardian Weekend Guide’s Sci Fi reviews Monthly roundup is now Sci Fi, Fantasy and Horror!

 

[clovis-man]

Interesting comments re missing authors in book shops,even charity shops struggle to fix this one.
Another worrying trend personally for me has been the absorbing of horror into the sci fi / fantasy sections, King being the only real appearance...

I've mentioned before that I am responsible for the SF, Fanatasy, etc. sections of our Friends of the Library Bookshop. I've given up trying to keep fantasy & SF seperate. However, I do maintain a seperate set of shelves for Gothic & Horror. I've also had to add another section which I lableled "Vampires & Such" because of all the Twilight stuff and its progeny.

Because all our inventory is from donations, I do get a pretty large number of older paperbacks. Partly becsause she was so prolific, a good percentage of those are by Andre Norton. I find that I can scarcely keep them on the shelves. I don't know exactly who is buying them, but they seem to be quite popular. I'm glad to see it.